Basics of Jiu Jitsu
The day after boxing, Simon and I returned to the same club for Jiu Jitsu.
Not having Gis, our training was slightly different from the rest of the class. Luckily, however, it involved learning a basic escape from a full mount, which will prove very useful in lots of types of combat. We call it the “shunt”.
Essentially, when caught in full mount, you arch upwards to push your opponent off your hips. You then trap an arm, pull it towards you and roll over it, to reverse your positions. Of course, to actually catch somebody out with it, you need to do it quickly and with a degree of cunning.
We also learned an arm bar from full mount, which is somewhat typical to all Jiu Jitsu classes I’ve ever been to. Sooner or later, you’re going to practise doing arm bars. I’m not complaining though – they’re pretty much the best.
After technique work, we sparred with the regulars. Given that neither of us knew what we were doing, we didn’t do too badly. I managed to get a couple of submissions and hold out from being tapped out too often, and we both discovered that general aptitude in combat combined with brute strength got us further than we would have expected.
Still, however, there is no alternative to pure skill and technical prowess, when it comes to combat sports.
Naturally, Simon and I reached a point where neither could beat the other. Soon though. Soon.